Chapter 12 #2
What in the hell was she talking about? His daughter had been four years old.
“You haven’t seen Rose or tried to communicate with her in any way since then.
No birthday presents, no cards, no phone calls…
nothing. Why are you suddenly so interested in conversations that took place over two years ago? ”
“Well, you have to know, Grady, I was in a lot of pain. I had just lost my only daughter, and looking back, I think I might have said something Rose misunderstood.”
She definitely had his attention now. What the hell had this witch done? “Just what is it you think she could have misunderstood?”
Harriet was now wringing her hands. “You have to understand, I was in mourning. I have a delicate constitution, and every time Rose came around, all she wanted to do was talk about Tricia.”
Oh yeah, a bad feeling was clawing hard at his chest. “What the hell did you say to my daughter?”
“I was only trying to make her understand. I told her that when she talked about her mother, it caused me so much pain. And that if it caused me pain, it probably caused you pain too. So I told her she should never mention Tricia’s name to either of us ever again.
That, if Tricia was all she could talk about, it would be better not to talk at all. ”
Holy. Fucking. Hell.
All the pieces fell into place. Rose hadn’t stopped talking because her mother had died. Rose stopped talking because Harriet told her that she would be hurting the only people she had left if she mentioned her mother’s name. Since her mother was all she wanted to talk about, she went silent.
It took everything he had not to do something that would land him in jail. But he’d forgotten he wasn’t the only one in the room with Harriet.
“You cow!” Sage yelled from behind him. “You absolute bitch! How could you say something like that to her? And how could you not tell Grady what you said? She hasn’t spoken for two years.
In two years, you couldn’t find the time to tell him what you did so that he could get your granddaughter some help? ”
But Grady was done.
He didn’t need to hear the woman’s useless explanations. He had plans for what was happening tonight, and they didn’t include having it out with Harriet Gulch. He needed to think through the repercussions of what Harriet had done. But right now, Harriet needed to go. He’d deal with her later.
“Get out,” he snarled, walking toward the woman.
Sage, on the other hand, had been putting two and two together. She stepped in front of Grady, going nose to nose with Harriet.
“You were afraid that if what you did to Rose got out, you’d be embarrassed by what a horrible thing you’d done.
It wasn’t bad enough that you’ve let that sweet girl hurt for two years by taking away her very voice, was it!
No! You were only at that school to do one thing, and that was to spread your vicious poison to Rose’s teachers.
You don’t care about anyone except yourself, do you?
You were perfectly content to let your own granddaughter continue to suffer just to save your own precious reputation. God, what sort of person does that?”
Harriet reared back her hand as if she could slap his babygirl. This lady was fucked in the head. Before Harriet could strike, Grady picked Sage up and set her down, holding her behind him, away from Harriet’s reach.
Sage was having none of it. She beat on his back, trying to get around him. “Get out of my way! She wants to fight? I’m ready. Just give me five minutes with her.”
As for Harriet, she’d wasted no time in beating a retreat as he lowered his arm and allowed Sage to get by him. They went to the window, but the only thing left when they got there was dust in the air as Harriet sped away from his house like a bat out of hell.
Sage turned into Grady’s chest, sobbing.
He picked her up and carried her to his rocking chair by the fireplace.
She rode out the waves of her anger in Grady’s arms. “Deep breaths, Wildfire. Settle down,” he told her.
“Now you know why I hadn’t mentioned her before.
Frankly, I’m hopeful that she’ll never come back.
Now, at least we both have a better idea of what we are dealing with when it comes to Rose. ”
Fisting her hair, he tilted her head so he could look into her eyes. “Rose is safe now. She’s with us, the two people who love her more than anyone else in the world. And speaking of that, you and I need to finish talking before we go get her.”
Picking her up, he carried her back to the bedroom.
Sitting on the edge of the bed he rocked her gently.
“I am so damn proud of you, babygirl. You stood up for our girl like she was your own. Again. That’s one of the things that makes you everything I ever wanted.
Let Daddy show you exactly how proud he is of you. ”
It didn’t take long for her shoulders to relax and the sniffling to stop. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good girl, now listen to me.” Her eyes darkened, whether at his tone or his control over her, he didn’t know, and he didn’t care.
“I love you, Indigo Sage Cartwright. I love your spirit. I love your sass. I love that big, fierce heart of yours and the way you love Rose. I love everything you’ve done around this house to make it feel like a home again. ”
She stared up at him, mouth open in wonder. “I thought you were mad at me. You said I was in trouble.”
Holy shit. He had. He’d used those exact words, and how the hell else was she supposed to take them?
“I’m so sorry, babygirl. Not to make excuses, but I had just realized how much I love you. I was talking about how much trouble I would cause you once you’re mine. Let’s just count my words as exhibit one.”
She coughed a laugh and shook her head, as if she was afraid to believe him. “I… are you sure?”
Her lips trembled, waiting for him to assure her his love was real.
“Wildfire, I can’t imagine my life without you in it. All I want right now is to show you in the most physical ways possible exactly how much I want you here, forever.”
“Forever?” She gave him a tentative smile.
He caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. “You’re not going anywhere, little girl. Not unless you want to. And even then… I’m not sure I’ll be able to let you.”
“You… you really mean that?” Her voice came out as an adorable squeak.
Grady’s hand slid into her wild red curls, gripping just tight enough to tilt her head back. “I mean every word. You’re mine, Indigo Sage. My Little. My woman. My wildfire. My future. And I’m done pretending otherwise.”
With that, he tunneled his fingers through her hair, his hand sliding possessively around the back of her neck. He kissed her deep, hungry, and unrelenting.
Sage pressed into him, her mouth sliding against his as she sighed at his touch. Her lips were soft and inviting and tasted faintly of caramel. He drew away to make sure she was open to his obvious direction.
Her only warning was a low, sexy growl. She grabbed his shirt and pressed her mouth back to his.
He wrapped one arm around her waist and cupped her head with the other.
Careful not to hurt her, he let the force of his mouth overpower her.
She submitted, opening her lips to invite him in.
He seized the moment, sliding his tongue inside.
Her taste flooded his system, sinking into his blood and bones and soul so hard and fast he knew he’d never be free of her again.
Sparks coursed through his body as she kissed him.
Her nipples hardened and stoked his arousal higher.
When she almost ran out of air, he allowed her to take a breath.
She gasped, her eyes wide as she stared up at him.
A soft, needy moan escaped her lips and vibrated against his mouth. The sound arrowed straight through him, punching low in his gut and straight to his throbbing cock.
Grady struggled to regain control of his raging desire. That kiss almost pushed him to the brink. Lowering her to her feet, he slipped his hand beneath the hem of her shirt, palm gliding over warm, impossibly smooth skin that felt like heated silk beneath his calloused fingers.
This time, he kissed her slow, giving her the illusion of control.
He relaxed, enjoying the feel of her nipples through her bra.
A surge of heat shot through him again, tightening his jeans as his libido soared.
He clung to his self-control, barely, even though all he wanted was to turn her around and bend her over the side of his bed.
Her breath hitched sharply, and she arched into him. Reaching around to her back, he undid her bra. Sliding his hand to the front, he filled his palm with the soft, lush weight of her breast. She was full and perfect against his rough hand.
In a flash, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it on the bed. Next, he did the same to Sage, running both hands up her sides and pulling her top over her head before making the same quick work of her pants.
Then his lips were on hers again, kissing her deeply, sliding his tongue into her mouth as he slid her off his lap, laying her on her back across his bed.
He moved on top of her, careful to support his weight on an elbow. And then his mouth was back on hers as he reveled in the exquisite feel of her breast pressing against his chest.
The quiet, broken gasp that escaped her had his cock throbbing and straining to get free of his restricting jeans.
He gave himself one minute to take in the sight of her. Her nipples were hard as diamonds, a dark, dusky pink evidence of her arousal. He ran his thumb across one rigid point. She arched into his hand and moaned. Curling forward, she ran her tongue along his neck.
And then, the little minx bit him. Hard.
That was all it took.